Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to computing systems, and more particularly, to various embodiments for managing drones in or near regulated spaces.
Description of the Related Art
The use of drones, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Besides recreational use, drones are now performing commercial and military tasks such as, for example, monitoring areas (e.g., for security purposes), searching areas for missing people and/or items, and visual productions (e.g., filming and photography). Additionally, it is expected that drones will be used to make deliveries in the near future (e.g., to deliver ordered products and/or items shipped from one location to another).
One of the problems associated with the use of drones for these tasks is that, for various reasons, it is undesirable for drones (e.g., UAVs) to travel in certain areas, at least during particular periods of time. For example, due to security and/or safety concerns, it is generally agreed that (at least some) UAVs should not be able to fly within a close proximity to airports and military installations. Additionally, even when not particularly close to an airport or military installation, due to, for example, aircraft flight paths, it may be desirable to restrict the altitude at which UAVs are permitted to fly. Further, because of privacy concerns, some people and/or neighborhoods may decide they simply do not want UAVs flying nearby.
Ideally, drones, such as UAVs, would be controlled and/or managed in such a way that when traveling in certain areas, their movements could be limited in such a way to appease the various security, safety, and privacy concerns that may otherwise exist.